Powelliphanta superba
{{Short description|Species of gastropod}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Powelliphanta superba superba 346442396.jpg
| image_caption = Powelliphana superba superba in its native habitat
| taxon = Powelliphanta superba
| authority = Powell, 1930
| synonyms = Paryphanta superba (Powell, 1930)
}}
Powelliphanta superba is a species of large, carnivorous land snail in the family Rhytididae, which is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Five subspecies are recognised,Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 {{ISBN|0-00-216906-1}} all of which are classified by the New Zealand Department of Conservation as being Nationally Endangered.{{cite web |url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/conservation/nz-threat-classification-system/nz-threat-classification-system-lists-2002/terrestial-invertebrate-part-one/ |publisher=New Zealand Department of Conservation |title=New Zealand Threat Classification System lists - 2002 - Terrestrial invertebrate - part one |year=2002 |accessdate=March 3, 2010}}
Taxonomy
Powelliphanta superba was originally described as Paryphanta superba by Arthur William Baden Powell in 1930.{{Cite Q|Q58676532}} The paratype specimens are located at Auckland War Memorial Museum.
There are five subspecies of P. superba:
- Powelliphanta superba harveyi
- Powelliphanta superba mouatae
- Powelliphanta superba prouseorum
- Powelliphanta superba richardsoni
- Powelliphanta superba superba
Description
File:Powelliphanta superba 61251950.jpg
File:Powelliphanta superba richardsoni 1268484.jpg
File:Powelliphanta superba by Brett Sandford.jpg
The eggs are oval and seldom constant in dimensions {{convert|14|x|12|mm}}.{{cite journal |author=A. C. O'Connor |year=1945 |title=Notes on the eggs of New Zealand Paryphantidae, with description of a new subgenus |journal=Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand |volume=5 |pages=54–57 |url=http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_75/rsnz_75_01_001590.html}}
Conservation status
Each of the five subspecies are listed as Threatened under the most recent assessment (2007) of the New Zealand Threatened Classification for Powelliphanta.{{Cite web |title=NZTCS |url=https://nztcs.org.nz/reports/56 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=nztcs.org.nz}}{{Cite web |title=New Zealand Threat Classification System Database |url=https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108424413 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.wikidata.org |language=en}} Four are listed as Nationally Endangered, while P. superba superba is listed as Serious Decline.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- Powelliphanta superba discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, [https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/collections/critter-of-the-week/audio/2018923539/critter-of-the-week-giant-land-snail 26 January 2024]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7236138}}
Category:Gastropods described in 1930
Category:Gastropods of New Zealand
Category:Taxa named by Arthur William Baden Powell
Category:Endemic fauna of New Zealand
Category:Endemic molluscs of New Zealand
{{Rhytididae-stub}}